prepping for exam

[ritelec]

let me start by saying i am motivated,i have been with the same company 12 YRS i am trying to study for my masters but find it hard to stay focused. besides working all day i have a wife 2 girls 3 dogs and a cat any tips on trying to stay focused and get good study time in i feel overwhelmed when i open mike holts exam prep books and see all the calcs. any suggestions on how any of u managed thru.thanks

Was sort of the same scenario here.............all good points in this thread to follow............

Gotta find an area to close the door for a few (2-4) hrs a day.

2 points. Hit it hard for 2 weeks before the test............don't touch it the day before.
These tests are written by people who WRITE tests (for lawyers, architects, plumbers etc....) They write the questions from the book. IF, the answer is not Word for Word from the book, it is not
the the right answer.

May I also mention, I know many unlicensed electricians making good money with benefits etc................and although the "world is your oyster" having a license does not guarantee wealth, happiness, or WORK.

Good luck with it!

[Gac66610]

let me start by saying i am motivated,i have been with the same company 12 YRS i am trying to study for my masters but find it hard to stay focused. besides working all day i have a wife 2 girls 3 dogs and a cat any tips on trying to stay focused and get good study time in i feel overwhelmed when i open mike holts exam prep books and see all the calcs. any suggestions on how any of u managed thru.thanks

to help stay focused .... remember your goal .... master electrician!

for me that was all i needed, i also knew that the company my dad started would be mine (someday)
when i past my masters, as a joke, i called my dad .... and told him he was fired

[jmellc]

I was told to go through test 3 times.

1st, answer questions you know for sure, no doubt at all.

2nd, answer questions that need a chart or table reference, such as conduit or box fill, etc.

3rd, answer questions that take searching.

I strayed from that plan 1st time & did not finish the test. 2nd time, I stuck to it and passed. Time flies by quickly.

[WIMaster]

Is there a local library, coffee shop, some place you can get away? Even a back corner table at McDonald's or a local family restaurant/truck stop, etc. Just make sure you focus, and it's a place that works for you.

Big +1
Any time I need some real study time I hit the library.
Even when the family knows I need to study they feel the need to interupt because I am there and it is conveinient to them.
Also turn off the cell phone while sudying!

Edit: I even have a sound resistant den to use, but it is no match for them when I NEED to get down to brass tacks.

[GBBOLT]

Buddy, one of the best chances I get to study is in the bathroom. I have 4 kids myself, and I am VP of a company here in Florida and work 10-12 hr days. Years ago I found that by keeping a codebook in the bathroom, I could get in a good 15 minutes in the morning, and 15 in the afternoon, whether I was actually "using" the bathroom or not. It was a good excuse to get away! Also, I hunt as much as I can. What better way to study than to sit in a deer stand countless hours each day and study a handbook. It actually helped me be a more successful hunter as I didn't spend so much time moving around for every little noise I heard. You have plenty of time in each day to study, just try to make the most of the time you have and everything will work out!

[ritelec]

Buddy, one of the best chances I get to study is in the bathroom.

Ha ha ha ha...yes MUCH agreed. Watch out for hemorrhoids though...............ha ha ha ha.............

[resistance]

May I also mention, I know many unlicensed electricians making good money with benefits etc................and although the "world is your oyster" having a license does not guarantee wealth, happiness, or WORK.

Good luck with it!

I agree!!! To be honest [OO here I go again]. I would never consider doing just residential electrical work—what a waste of time!!!I say go industrial, commercial, or utility electrical. With move favor being on industrial, or utility. I see a number of employers asking for experience with PLC’s. No offense, just my opinion!!!